Can you chain project image?

[ken-do-nim]

Would you allow a caster to cast project image, and then cast it again having the spell 'emanate' from his first image, and so on, so that he can have a chain of projected images? This could be useful for protecting a corridor with twists and turns, allowing the caster to cast a spell at any point along it.

[supermonkeyjoe]

unfortunately no, the spell states; "You must maintain line of effect to the projected image at all times. If your line of effect is obstructed, the spell ends."

and from the SRD;
"Line of Effect

A line of effect is a straight, unblocked path that indicates what a spell can affect. A line of effect is canceled by a solid barrier. It’s like line of sight for ranged weapons, except that it’s not blocked by fog, darkness, and other factors that limit normal sight.

You must have a clear line of effect to any target that you cast a spell on or to any space in which you wish to create an effect. You must have a clear line of effect to the point of origin of any spell you cast.

A burst, cone, cylinder, or emanation spell affects only an area, creatures, or objects to which it has line of effect from its origin (a spherical burst’s center point, a cone-shaped burst’s starting point, a cylinder’s circle, or an emanation’s point of origin).

An otherwise solid barrier with a hole of at least 1 square foot through it does not block a spell’s line of effect. Such an opening means that the 5-foot length of wall containing the hole is no longer considered a barrier for purposes of a spell’s line of effect."

SO unfortunately as soon as an image heads out of your line of effect it would vanish as it doesn't have a straight unblocked path to you,

[Parra]

so each image would be at the next corridor turn/junction allowing 'line of effect' to be maintained and allowing a daisy-chain effect to cast spells along the network?

[hewhosaysfish]

"You must maintain line of effect to the projected image at all times. If your line of effect is obstructed, the spell ends."

SO unfortunately as soon as an image heads out of your line of effect it would vanish as it doesn't have a straight unblocked path to you,



If you desire, any spell you cast whose range is touch or greater can originate from the projected image instead of from you. The projected image can’t cast any spells on itself except for illusion spells. The spells affect other targets normally, despite originating from the projected image.


So you must maintain line of effect between yourself and the first image. But you can then use the first image as the origin of the second, meaning you have to maintain line of effect between the first and second images but don't necessarily need line of effect between the second image and yourself.

[supermonkeyjoe]

So you must maintain line of effect between yourself and the first image. But you can then use the first image as the origin of the second, meaning you have to maintain line of effect between the first and second images but don't necessarily need line of effect between the second image and yourself.

I see your point, but I don't think an image would count for determining line of effect, you can see through its eyes and have spells originate from it but the spell is still being cast from your original body and so should be ruled as such.

[ken-do-nim]

I see your point, but I don't think an image would count for determining line of effect, you can see through its eyes and have spells originate from it but the spell is still being cast from your original body and so should be ruled as such.

Your original body speaks the words of the spell, but the spell originates from your image. I guess it is one of those things every DM must decide. The spell is certainly still worth taking either way.

[Douglas]

I see your point, but I don't think an image would count for determining line of effect, you can see through its eyes and have spells originate from it but the spell is still being cast from your original body and so should be ruled as such.
That would negate a very large portion of the whole point of Project Image.

[Echoes]

Honestly, I would say that that application of the reading is about on par with other uses of seventh level sorcerer/wizard spells. Each chained image is a separate casting of the spell, which means if the caster is doing it for more than one or two images they're going to be rapidly burning through their high levelled slots. Additionally, since the illusions only last 1 round/level, too much bouncing around and the original images will begin fading before the ending ones are formed, which puts large gaps in the coverage and an important limitation on the spell.

I think that there is definitely potential for abuse, but honestly there are much worse things a wizard could be doing at this level. By my reading it seems legal, and I'd probably allow it in one of my games.

[cfalcon]

I would personally not allow it. The fact that it is not rules legal is beyond the point. It helps to create a "cannot lose" situation, where guessing and eliminating a mirror image is but the FIRST step, and it also is one of those things that rewards people who have a couple rounds to buff up.

If you really like the idea of this, then simply buff the spell Mirror Image to allow it to work with some restrictions that are more generous than the book allows. For instance, in my 2ed games it was widely known that it simply had a range, and as long as there was a path that the mirror image could take that didn't go through the normal stuff that blocks magic (a thin sheet of lead, some amount of common metals, blah blah), then it was ok. So you could have your mirror image on the deck of a ship while you hid below deck, but you couldn't be in at the very bottom of the ship hidden in a coffin built into the deck or something. Then, once you have a nice houserule that fits how you want the game to play, make sure that everyone knows it! The current version of 3ed+ is pretty fair, but since you usually have to be close by and in sight, it can be limiting. Your call!

[ScionoftheVoid]

-snip-

So you plan to take a 2nd level spell which is already considered one of the best choices around, to be picked as soon as possible, and make it stronger, instead of taking a useful but limited 7th level spell and making it slightly better but still rather limited? I think this is both counterintuitive and unbalancing, to be honest.